Governance: An international journal of policy, administration and institutions

Why the UK Parliament really does matter

Conventional wisdom says that legislatures in parliamentary systems don’t matter very much — and that the British Parliament provides strong evidence of this reality. In the current issue ofGovernance, Meg Russell and Philip Cowley take issue with the prevailing view. Researchers have focused too much on the decision-making stage, while neglecting Parliament’s role at earlier and later policy stages, as well as behind-the-scenes negotiations. After analyzing 6,000 parliamentary votes, 4,000 legislative amendments, 1,000 committee recommendations, and 500 interviews, Russell and Cowley conclude that Westminster’s influence is substantial and rising. Read the article.